looking for part time work (around caring responsibilities) and getting nowhere

[Greyheronsarethebest]

I am currently being made redundant (office closure). I work only school hours and can work fully from home in school hols. It's just a dead end admin job without special skills (I don't have any as such) and I am struggling to find something. I can max manage 22h per week. Eldest (teen) has autism and learning difficulties and there are no holiday clubs and no wrap around and they cannot be left alone at home. But I can work effectively a few hours around them. My other DC is unwell and we need to attend hospital during my working hours roughly weekly (my current employer lets me work around these hours). But I really struggle to find anything new that gives me that much flexibility from the go. I worked in my current place for 12 years and earned the trust to get this flexibility. Help. I absolutely cannot afford to live on carers allowance :( I work incredibly hard, never ill. But nobody wants me.

I think you need universal credit

Universal credit.

Even dead end admin jobs have skills!

It is really difficult to work around childrens care needs. I dont know if you have any other support?

Jobs my sen friends do are SEN TA but not 5 days a week, admin at a university, admin at a school, civil service admin, weekend library assistant and office cleaner, parish clerk- but we all have a partner to do some cover like if we start early.

I want to work, not UC. I just want to work. I always have but they older they are, the less childcare and support is there.

Ah this is tricky. Its great you want to work, and understandable for your MH. But it's going to be challenging to find something that flexible. Local churches and community centres in my area sometimes look for an office person mornings only. Or maybe a playgroup?

Or maybe a mother's help type role might be flexible.

I think just keep looking and be open to trying anything.

I have always worked. Never not it just seems to get more challenging the older DC becomes. Less and less available. In primary we at least had a holiday club etc. My current employer is super flexible. I just need to find something similar and struggle. I absolutely cannot afford carers allowance. I have a mortgage and need to work. UC not an option.

I will just keep looking. it's just so hard and it all feels so unfair.

In all honesty that’s going to be hard to find. A lot of employers now will let you work flexibly, and with some home working, but you also want part time, flexibility for appointments for your child and want to work fully from home in the holidays with your children at home not in childcare. Very few companies that don’t already know you would allow that from the go, and most companies don’t allow wfh with children that need care around. Why is UC not an option?

UC does help with rent. Not with a mortgage. We would lose our home :(

I think UC can help with the interest portion of mortgages, can you switch to an interest only mortgage? Even just for the interim whilst you’re searching to take the pressure off?

Also have you looked at school jobs? Term time only and school hours during term time?

Could you widen your search to part time shop work. 'Dead end' administrative work is very competitive where I live.

Everyone wants a sitting down job, with some flexibility and or hybrid working. A lot of the admin jobs train you and you can study by night. They can be a real stepping stone to a good career.

Im so sorry you’re in this position. Its a ridiculous one size fits all system we have that means people who want to work and have a lot to offer can’t.
If you have admin skills can you set up as an online VA or a freelance personal assistant or pick up any freelance admin work, that type of thing.
It might not be an easy route to go down but working for yourself could be a way to get yourself the flexibility you need.

well, that wouldn't pay the mortgage and you only get help with the interest after a few months anyways which would be too late. I will just keep looking. I am just so scared for the DC and the consequences of losing the home. I just desperately want to carry on working. It's been a very hard realisation how unwanted I am by employers. no wonder society sees families like us as utter drain on resources. I am well enough to work. I should've have to rely on handouts from the taxpayer.

You might consider setting up as an independent cleaner if you’re physically fit?

Minimal start up costs, advertise on local SM. There’s a a huge demand in my area (West Sussex )

I charge £17.50 per hour and clean 2 houses a day, so earn an average £100 per day.

My customers are fairly flexible about the times I clean. And you can pick and choose your clients/ the days you’re available.

Good luck, sorry about your redundancy, that sucks.

UC is an option while you’re seeking work (if you have a period with no work) so don’t rule that out entirely x

All I can say is it’s hard. I am also a carer, we wouldn’t get UC because of DHs job, which is fine.
However I would like to be able to earn some money for myself and keep my hand in working in the hope I can go back in the next few years.
DD does random hours at school and will have periods of time she doesn’t go in.
What I need is a job I can do when it suits me, very part time, probably online. Don’t think it exists though.

what I would say about school work is whilst the holidays are great there is low tolerance for being off, so if there is an issue with that with DC it won’t work. Also not really flexible.

Admin role with a charity
Remote PA
NHS admin
School job

Its not that nobody wants you, it isn't personal, it's just that you have so many specific requirements.

You want part time (22hrs) but the ability to leave for weekly appointments during those hours, must fit around school hours, full WFH during school holidays and according to your OP, you have no specific skills.

Surely you can understand how difficult it is going to be to find an employer who can accomodate all that? Part-time jobs appear to be like hens teeth anyway without the other things added on.